


As We Dream By The Fire

by Elri



Category: Wonder Woman (2017), Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cabin Fic, F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, Vacation, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 16:43:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21274412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elri/pseuds/Elri
Summary: The Wonder Squad takes a winter vacation together





	As We Dream By The Fire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oopsabird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oopsabird/gifts).

> Happy Birthday oopsabird!

“So people hike up mountains, even in ridiculous weather, to spend an extended period of time in an enclosed space, with other people, totally disconnected from the outside world, and it’s supposed to be _fun?_” Diana shook her head, barely out of breath even though they’d been trekking for a good while.

“Yeah,” Steve responded, panting a little, “I know it sounds weird on the surface but just give the experience a chance. You might like it.”

“That’ll be the day,” Etta huffed, “I still haven’t convinced her to appreciate modern fashion.”

“It’s not practical."

“Not if you’re planning to get into a fight," Etta agreed, "but the war is over and women have other things to worry about in our day-to-day lives.”

“The war is over, yet you're all still called to take on the same kind of missions."

"Not exactly the same, we're preventing more terrible things from happening instead of just stopping what's already going on. If we only focus on the negative things then that’s all we’re ever going to see.”

“Would you two mind,” Charlie called from behind, “Havin’ yer ‘life lessons of the modern world’ discussion _after_ we’ve reached the cabin?”

“Having trouble back there, Charlie?” Chief called.

“I am, in fact, _not_, I grew up in Scotland, the _High_lands, we know a thing or two about climbing in the cold.”

“That makes one of us,” Sami muttered, tucking himself tighter into his large furry coat. “This weather was not meant for human habitation.”

“I know some people who might disagree with you,” Chief told him.

“And I know many who would agree,” Sami responded.

Steve grinned, “Come on Sami, take a nice deep breath of that fresh mountain chill.”

“I would prefer to keep my lungs heated, thank you.”

They made it to the cabin just as fresh snow was starting to fall. Steve and Chief went to the attached lean-to to get extra firewood, Sami and Charlie started getting the main room fireplace going with kindling and the firewood that was already in there, and Etta and Diana went to pick their room first. There were only four rooms, two upstairs and two downstairs, so they’d decided before coming up that Steve and Diana would take one of the bigger rooms, Sami and Charlie would take the other, and Etta and Chief would each get one of the smaller rooms to themselves.

Within an hour everyone was gathered around a roaring fire, clothes hung up to dry, with a specially made pot of non-alcoholic mulled cider brewing on the stove. The aroma of the spices drifted around the cabin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and the faintest hint of citrus from the orange slices. Outside, the wind had picked up with the coming snow and could be heard whistling through the Montana woods, but the cabin was well built and kept them all secure and warm.

Etta had claimed one of the armchairs for herself and sat drafting support pamphlets for a women’s suffrage rally that would be taking place at the start of the new year. Chief had stretched himself out in the other chair, leaning towards the light as he carefully repaired a beaded bracelet. Diana and Steve had curled up under one of the blankets on the couch, and Sami sat at the other end with Charlie on the floor in front of him. They’d flipped a coin for the last seat after Charlie had wisely declined a quick game of poker.

When the cider had finished and they’d resettled into their spots with their mugs, Steve proposed that they tell ghost stories. It wasn’t the season for it but it had been a while since they’d been sat around a fire, not fearing for their lives, and just enjoyed themselves. Steve started with a story he’d heard from a friend who’d grown up next to corn fields, and the strange lights and sounds that he’d heard coming from them. When they were deciding who should go next, Sami nudged Charlie with his foot.

“What about you, are there any ghosts in Scotland?”

“Is Nessie wet? We’ve got all kinds of ghost stories. Whenever the fog rolled in, we were warned not to play with any children we didn’t recognize. They’d lead you further into the fog, and when you tried to go home they’d tell you it wasn’t that late, just five more minutes. ‘Play with me, play with me, let’s play forever.’ But the kids weren’t the only ones you had to worry about. Where I grew up, we had to watch out for Ol’ Allie Bates.”

“Who’s Ally Bates?” Diana asked.

“She was a woman who used to live at the end of the road, passed before I was born. Funny thing is she wasn’t even old, hadn’t even turned 30 yet. She and her husband tried for years to have a baby, but with no luck. Then one night, the husband never came home. It turned out he’d run off with another lass, a lass he’d gotten pregnant. Allie went mad with grief. She ran out into the fog under a full moon, calling for the spirits to bring her a child, hoping that if they gave her one he’d come home. He never did, and neither did she. Ever since, when the fog is in and the moon is full, it’s said you can still see her if you look. And if you listen very carefully, you can hear her calling for a child.”

Etta shook her head, “Poor girl.”

“Did you ever see her?” Chief asked.

“Aye, once.”

Everyone sat up and took notice, “What?” “Tell us.” “You’re joking.”

“Alright, alright, settle down and I’ll tell. I was about seven, it was late summer and there was a slight chill in the air. I’d been out exploring with friends and we’d lost track of time. The sun was setting as we went our separate ways to home. As the moon came up, the fog came with it. soon I could barely see a thing, so I just kept my eyes on the path and picked up the pace.

“I don’t know how far I was from home when I heard a woman crying. I looked around, and thought I could see her in the distance. Her hair was tied back but I could see it coming out of the tie, and it looked like her dress was ragged." Charlie stared forward into the fire, his knees were bent and he held his hands out to the flames, rubbing them together to get a little warmth. "I called out to her, asked if she was alright, and she turned to look at me. I couldn’t see her face well, but I saw her reach out her hand. ‘Please,’ she said, ‘please help me.’ I was just about to step out to go to her, when a dog howled in the distance and startled me. I looked around, saw the full moon, and realized who I was talking to. ‘I’m sorry miss,’ I told her, ‘I have to go.’

“I turned and started running. When I felt a hand try to grasp my shirt, I ran even harder and didn’t look back. Somehow, I managed to make it home, barging in the front door and slamming it behind me. I tried to tell them what had happened, but they didn’t believe me until I turned around and there were five tears in my shirt, with red scratch marks on my back." He absentmindedly rubbed his hand back over his shoulder, like he was trying to feel the marks. "Since then, I made sure to get home before dark.”

The team sat in silence, not sure what to say, half-waiting for Charlie to grin and say he was kidding. Sami put his hand down on top of Charlie's, squeezing gently.

“You know,” Diana finally said, “Artemis was a protector of children, and one of her symbols was the hunting dog. It sounds like she was looking out for you that night.”

“Whatever it was, I’m glad for it.”

“Agreed,” Sami held up his mug, “To the ones that keep us safe.”

“Cheers.” Steve and everyone else lifted their mugs as well.

One by one, they all turned in for bed until just Sami and Charlie were left. Even though there was more room now, Charlie had stayed where he was on the floor with his feet stretched out towards the fire. He was leaned back against Sami’s legs, eyes closed and humming softly, and Sami was running his fingers through Charlie’s hair.

“What song is that?” He asked quietly.

“Hmm? Oh, an old one about longing to be reunited with a long-lost love. Allie reminded me of it.”

“Will you sing it for me?”

Charlie smiled up at Sami, “As you wish.”

As the fire died and the wind blew on, Charlie’s voice softly carried through the rooms of the cabin.

_By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes_  
_ Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond,_  
_ Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae_  
_ On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond_

_O ye'll take the high road and I'll take the low road_  
_ And I'll be in Scotland afore ye_  
_ But me and my true love will never meet again_  
_ On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond_


End file.
